Nottingham Forest 0-0 Arsenal: Gunners move 7 pts clear on top in goalless draw

Nottingham Forest and Arsenal played out an uninspiring goalless draw as the Gunners missed the chance to go nine points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Match Report

Manchester City’s defeat to Manchester United, as well as West Ham United’s win against Tottenham Hotspur, earlier on Saturday gave both sides extra incentive for this clash, albeit to aid their respective situations at opposite ends of the table. Sean Dyche’s men were looking to increase the gap between themselves and the bottom three, and created an early chance when Nicolás Domínguez’s close-range deflected strike went wide after the Argentine was spotted by Neco Williams. 

League-leaders Arsenal, meanwhile, were struggling to find their groove in the opening exchanges, but Gabriel Martinelli would have been bitterly disappointed not to break the deadlock when his angled close-range finish crept past the far post. Arteta’s side gradually moved through the gears, as Martín Zubimendi miscued his effort after a lovely through ball from Noni Madueke. Forest, though, were showing admirable resilience and ended the half strongly following a spell of sustained pressure, although they were unable to create any clear-cut opportunities.

Arteta reshuffled his pack just shy of the hour mark with a triple substitution that included the introduction of Bukayo Saka. He looked to make an immediate impact when picking out Declan Rice, whose awkward shot took a bounce before Matz Sels parried it away to safety. Rice then turned provider for the England winger, but the latter’s header was superbly tipped behind by the Forest shot-stopper.

Arsenal were looking more likely to find the opener, with Mikel Merino agonisingly close to connecting with Rice’s enticing set-piece from the left. Nevertheless, Dyche’s men continued to battle hard and could have netted a winner themselves when Morgan Gibbs-White fired wide from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross.

Ultimately, neither side could snatch the victory as the spoils were shared. As a result, Arsenal are now seven points clear at the top of the table and remain firm favorites to finish at the summit and claim a first PL title in 22 years. They also extend their unbeaten run to 11 games, while Forest can take plenty of confidence from a well-deserved point which leaves them five clear of the bottom three.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

8' A cross is nearly received by Martinelli, but one defender averts the threat

11' A snap shot from Nicolas Dominguez inside the box is blocked

11' Saliba asking for some medical attention after hit by Igor Jesus

24' Murillo sends a cross over to Hudson-Odoi, but Raya comes to gather the ball

27' The rebound from Ben White's cross takes deflection off Ola Aina and goes wide

28' Martinelli blows a clear opportunity! His effort narrowly misses the goal!

37' Yellow Card! Timber booked as he pulls down his opponent

54' Merino, Gabriel Jesus and Saka on, Odegaard, Gyökeres and Madueke off

59' Saka sends a cross but Rice's effort is denied by the keeper

65' Sels dives superbly to block a header by Saka from around the penalty spot

69' Free kick from Rice fails to provide opportunity as the defender clears the ball

71' Merino latches onto the free kick, but heads just wide of the right post

81' There seems to be a handball by Aina but the ref signals NO PEN after VAR check

Line-ups

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Aina, Sangare, Elliot Anderson, Milenkovic, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Dominguez, Neco Williams, Igor Jesus, Murillo

Subs: Gunn, Taiwo Awoniyi, Douglas Luiz, Ryan Yates, Dan Ndoye, Morato, McAtee, Nicolò Savona, Omari Hutchinson

Arsenal XI: David Raya, Ødegaard, Rice, Viktor Gyökeres, Gabriel, Ben White, Martín Zubimendi, Martinelli, Saliba, Madueke, Timber

Subs: Trossard, Kepa, Merino, Jesus, Havertz, Eberechi Eze, Saka, Cristhian Mosquera, Lewis-Skelly